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Teen Ink Forums

Bible Study

half.note: To me, what day it's on doesn't matter was much the fact that we have a Sabbath at all. I think the Bible makes it very clear that we need a day of rest once a week, but not which day it should be. By tradition it's supposed to be the same day God rested on, but we can't know for certain that it was a Saturday (or Sunday). There's no way to guarentee that days have always been reckoned the same way they are today; or that nobody ever miscounted, rested on the sixth day instead of the seventh, and threw the entire count off for the next thousand years. I don't think it mattters which day we hold the Sabbath on as long as a church can reach a definite consensus (it would get very confusing we worshipped on a Monday one week, Friday the next, Wednesday the week after that, and so on.)

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

It doesn't matter specifically when you celebrate the Sabath. The reasoning for it being on Sunday however, is that the day Jesus rose from the dead (easter) is on a Sunday.

So I think the whole "Seventh Day Adventists" thing is a little unnecessary to be honest :P

Not anything bad though, just like how Baptism is a great symbolization of our rebirth, but not necessary to go to heaven. In the same way, it doesn't matter what day you keep the Sabath, as long as you observe it.

Everyone's probably forgotten about this thread (even I did for a while there), but I thought I would take a moment to revive it.

I had an argument with my mom's boyfriend about the topic of the Sabbath just this morning and it reminded me that I hadn't yet posted my reply on here yet.

Trust me, as a Seventh-day Adventist I've heard every argument there is against the Sabbath. Even my mom and her boyfriend think that keeping the Sabbath is "legalism".

Let's first establish a basic understanding of where the Sabbath came from and its purpose.

As you know, God rested on the Seventh day from his work of creation and sanctified it. So really, the Sabbath has been around ever since the first week of creation. It was set up from the very beginning and continued until Jesus' day and beyond.

The Sabbath is a day of rest. It is a day set out from the week for us to observe as a holy day.

I feel as if I can already hear your protests, "But why does it have to be Saturday?"

My dad knows a lot about calendars. He finds the topic fascinating, and I actually learn a lot whenever he starts to rant about it (if I manage to stay awake).
Ancient calendars aren't untraceable. Our own calendar is based off the Roman calendar, which was similar to the Jewish calendar in some ways.
Anyways, I'm not absolutely certain how all that works, but I assure you that the seventh day of the week has always been Saturday.

Just think about the nature of the calendar alone. Years are based on the orbit around the sun, and months are based on the lunar cycle. But what about weeks? Why are there seven days in a week? Where does that number come from? Unlike years and months, weeks are rather arbitrary. But numbers in the Bible are always important, and seven is the number of perfection. It is used throughout the Bible, but begins with the Sabbath.
Just something to think about.

As for those verses in the New Testament, I don't really think they are abolishing the Sabbath, they are just warning against legalism. That is, believing that keeping the Sabbath and other ceremonies will save you rather than the blood of Jesus.

Jesus says:
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-19)

Jesus never said to stop keeping the Sabbath, in fact, he encouraged us to keep the "law", which would be the Ten Commandments and other rules given in the Old Testament.

Jesus kept the Sabbath, as well.
In fact, if you think about it, he even kept the Sabbath in death. He died Friday afternoon and was raised from the dead Sunday morning.
So rather than keeping Sunday to "honour the resurrection" (as I've heard some Christians say), we should be resting on the Sabbath like Jesus did. :)

I know, probably not the strongest argument, just thought it was kind of interesting.

Anyways, I think I’ve covered all the bases here.
I know it’s unlikely that I’ll convince any of you to start keeping the Sabbath, but it is a very important topic to me and I love hearing new and different arguments.
So, please, if you think I'm wrong, feel free to argue with me.

I don't really see what's so horrible about going to church on Saturday. But I don't see why I shouldn't go on Sunday, or Wednessday, or Thursday either. Infact, I don't see why I should even go to church at all!
Reasons for Church: 1. Fellowship (All my friends go to church. Homeschooler XD) 2. I like the speeches. 3. Food.
But maybe this is not your point. Just rest on Saturday. I really like this idea. If I could, I would. But I can't, so I won't. That might sound a little arrogant, but even Jesus sounded arrogant to the pharisees. Luke 6. I don't know if anyone mentioned this verse.
I am curious as to what you can and can't do on the Sabbath. It'll make discussion easier on my half.

Shiloam. (Peace :D) *Not sure if that is how you spell it. Its suppose to be hebrew for peace, or good day.

How many times do you walk out of church and forget everything you just heard? Well imagine what you'd know if you never went:) Sure you could "study" the bible on your own, but without an educated interpretation and knowledge of Hebrew translations that are key to understanding the bible, how would you ever know you're getting it?

But church isn't everything. Small groups, mission trips, exercising your faith, that all strengthens your belief in God. If you let it lay dormant, it'll fade.

Realized that I didn't reply to any of these old posts.
Might as well do that now:

contemplator:

It is important to keep Saturday as the Sabbath because that is the day that God rested from his work of creation.
Those who truly follow God and the law will keep the Sabbath.

"Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.
"I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;
And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God."
(Ezekiel 20:12,19-20)

Also, to answer ypur question about what we can and can't do on the Sabbath:

CAN:
-go to church
-go to Bible Studies
-go on walks in nature
-spend time with family

CAN'T:
-buy or sell
-watch secular TV or listem to secular music (televised sermons and hymns are okay)
-work/earn wages
-party (not that I do this normally, but it shoud be avoided to go to an event that someone has planned that would distract away from God)

Overall, it's not really a set thing. Most just follow their convictions on what is acceptable. I know some people who don't like to cook a big Sabbath lunch, but instead prepare something the night before to eat.

No, Seventh-Day Adventists don't keep the seven feasts.
We believe these were symbols of Christ and were meant to remind the Israelites of their coming promised Messiah.
As well, these ceremonies were connected to the sanctuary system, which Jesus ended when he died on the cross (that is why the temple curtain was ripped in two):
"And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom." (Mark 15:37-38)

We keep the Ten Commandments (including the Sabbath) and the health laws, but not the J.ewish feasts.

Its funny you'd mention this particular point since I'm listening to secular music right now (don't worry, it's Sunday, not the Sabbath).

Anyways, this is probably one of the harder one's to keep (for me, anyways).
I mean, not working on Sabbath is easy (like, seriously, who wants to work?), but worldly entertainment can be hard ro resist.
Honestly, though, I'm overwhelming thankful for a day where I set aside my iPod and the TV remote and just grow closer to God. :D

Keeping the Sabbath, as specified in the Ten Commandments, is a sign between us an God. That means resting on Satuday, not Friday or Sunday or any othe day of the week.

"Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.
I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;
And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God." (Ezekiel 20:12,19-20)

I'm sorry if I come across as harsh, that is not my intention. And if you have any Bible verses to support keeping the Sabbath on any day of the week, feel free to post it.

The only one of the Ten Commandments not reaffirmed by Jesus was the sabbath. Matthew 19:18 and Romans 13:9 confirm this. Instead, Jesus said he is lord of the sabbath: Matthew 12:8. The sabbath was made for man, not the other way around.Mark 2:27. In the Old Testament, people were often punished for disobeying the law (keeping the sabbath). But Jesus atoned for that, he fulfilled the law, and we now have the sabbath continually. We have Jesus. Also, The Lord is more concerned with our heart than what day we keep the sabbath. Romans 14:5-6. We must each be fully convinced of what day we choose to keep the sabbath. If it were God's decision, he would have said so. Judging someone for anything concerning the sabbath is just not biblical. Colossians 2:16-17. Jesus IS our sabbath. If you get the time, please view each of these verses ..... Because you asked for them :) You have every right to keep Saturday as the sabbath. But I have the same right to keep mine on Sunday:). God bless!